Flight Safety Information July 15, 2014 - No. 141 In This Issue Australian developed 'GO Light' to improve aviation safety Watch Test Pilots Push the New Boeing Jet to Terrifying Limits Hit by a bird, private jet gets emergency landing at Dulles Dana appoints Spanoghe as head of Safety and Quality Assurance Dubai airport wants to overtake Atlanta as 'world's busiest' PRISM TO HELP PREPARE FOR E-IOSA Alaska Air Group Places Order for Q400 NextGen Aircraft Moses Lake to be test site for Mitsubishi Aircraft regional jet IS-BAO Training In Jeddah THE ALPA 60TH AIR SAFETY FORUM Upcoming Events Employment (New Positions) Australian developed 'GO Light' to improve aviation safety The 'GO Light' is designed to give pilots a constant reference point of the horizon in their peripheral vision, helping them stay continually aware of the plane's attitude. (GO Light) An Australian pilot has invented a system that could help solve the problem of spatial disorientation. Russell Crane has received a provisional patent for the Green Orientation Light (GO Light) which he says will give pilots a constant reference point of the horizon in their peripheral vision, helping them stay continually aware of the plane's attitude. "Presently, to verify orientation when there are no visual cues, the pilot has to focus on their small attitude indicator (AI) instrument," Mr Crane said in a statement. "However, this verification requires the pilot firstly to recognise that they may be disorientated and actively focus their attention on the AI." The statement says research has shown that in accidents caused by spatial disorientation, the phenomenon went unrecognised by the pilot in up to 85 per cent of occurrences. "The GO Light mitigates unrecognised spatial disorientation and allows pilots more freedom to concentrate on their other instruments whilst maintaining an almost subconscious and accurate awareness of their attitude," he added. The system's design also includes an additional feature in which external lights on the fuselage would be replaced with pivoting lights to replicate the in-cockpit system outside the aircraft. "A solution to spatial disorientation is like the elusive Holy Grail of aviation safety," AvLaw International chairman Ron Bartsch said. "The GO Light takes the concept of the AI and turns it into a constant part of the pilot's subconscious perception. If this concept can be taken forward and commercialised, it could be the most important Australian aviation invention since the black box." http://australianaviation.com.au/2014/07/australian-developed-go-light-to-improve-aviation-safety/ Back to Top Watch Test Pilots Push the New Boeing Jet to Terrifying Limits After delivering the first 787-9 Dreamliner jet to Air New Zealand last week, Boeing took a victory lap on Monday, showing off exactly what the plane can do when pushed to its limits. The plane's maneuvers during a six and a half minute demonstration flight, at the Farnborough International Airshow outside London, were not quite as awesome as the barrel roll test pilot Tex Johnston pulled off in a Boeing 707 in 1955. They were, however, way more extreme than anything a passenger would want to sit through. At the controls were Captain Randall Lee Neville, the chief model pilot for the 787 program, and Captain Mike Bryan, chief pilot for the 787-9. Before the Farnborough demonstration, they prepped in a simulator and practiced in the real thing. The test pilots, Boeing says, "purposefully put the airplane through maneuvers most pilots would never see in their entire careers" to show off how safe and capable the aircraft is. They kicked off the demonstration with a spectacularly steep takeoff, pitching the plane up just shy of 30 degrees. Compared to the civilized, standard 10 to 20 degree pitch used on standard takeoffs, this looked damn near vertical. On one turn, Neville and Bryan banked 60 degrees. To put that in context, any bank angle above 45 degrees is considered an "upset," putting the plane in a position that can lead to a loss of control. Then they showed off how fast the -9 can roll from side to side, and executed a touch and go: landing the plane, then taking off again immediately while banking hard to the right. The 787 Dreamliner is the first passenger jet made mostly from composite materials instead of aluminum, which make the plane lighter, more fuel-efficient, and more comfortable for passengers (thanks to higher humidity levels and bigger windows). The 787-9 is a new variant of the jet, with room for 40 more passengers and an extra 300 miles of range. Boeing won't reveal the plane's top speed (cruise speed is Mach .85, roughly 647 mph), or how just how steeply it can take off, but its planes, like those from its competitors, are made to withstand conditions well beyond anything they are at all likely to experience. Before getting permission from the FAA and its European counterpart to put the 787-9 into commercial service, Boeing logged more than 1,500 hours in the air using five planes. For the most part, testing is done privately, with the plane maker occasionally trumpeting milestones and publishing photos and video. So air shows are the rare chance for customers (airlines, mostly) and the public to see the planes do things they hope they never have to live through. Farnborough Airshow 2014 | Boeing 787-9 Monday http://www.wired.com/2014/07/watch-test-pilots-push-the-new-boeing-jet-to-terrifying-limits/ Back to Top Hit by a bird, private jet gets emergency landing at Dulles STERLING, Va. (WUSA9) -- A private jet declared an emergency landing Monday at Dulles International Airport after being struck by a bird. The plane landed safely on runway 19R, but because of damage caused by the bird, the plane had to be towed from the runway to the hangar, according to a Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority spokesperson. The plane, a Hawker 8000, suffered a loss of hydraulic fluid, according to the WMAA. Only two passengers were aboard the plane and no one was hurt. The damage to the plane was to its under carriage. http://www.wusa9.com/story/news/local/2014/07/14/dulles-private-jet-emergency-landing/12634019/ Back to Top Dana appoints Spanoghe as head of Safety and Quality Assurance Dana Air on Monday 14 July appointed Louis Spanoghe as its Head of Safety and Quality Assurance as part of the airline's strategy to further boost its entire operations. "Spanoghe is a seasoned aviation expert with over 25 years in aviation and proven skills in aviation regulations and excellent working knowledge of aviation maintenance and assurance matters," a statement by Dana said Spanoghe was until his recent appointment Manager, Safety and Quality assurance at Aero Contractors. He had in the course of his career managed a mix of projects including obtaining AMO and AOC approvals as well as in the introduction of new aircraft, conduct of operational, safety, quality and technical audit amongst others. Given his pedigree, Spanoghe will bring his wealth of experience to bear on Dana Air's operations as previously demonstrated in similar roles, the airline said. http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2014/07/15/dana-appoints-spanoghe-as-head-of-safety-and-quality- assurance/ Back to Top Dubai airport wants to overtake Atlanta as 'world's busiest' DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Now that he's had a taste of running the world's busiest air hub for international passengers, Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths is determined to hang on to the honor while setting his sights on an even bigger prize: beating Atlanta for the title of busiest airport on the planet. Dubai International Airport has been creeping up the aviation traffic rankings for years, fueled largely by the rapid expansion of hometown champion Emirates and its younger sibling, low-cost carrier FlyDubai. Both airlines and the airport are owned by the emirate's government. The most recent figures compiled by Airports Council International, covering the past 12 months through March 2014, show that Dubai - at least for now - has Heathrow beat for the crown of most international passenger traffic. It ended 2013 in second place behind the European hub. Griffiths isn't shy about calling his facility, which handled 66.4 million passengers last year, the world's largest international airport. But the 56-year-old Briton was quick to hedge that claim during a recent interview with The Associated Press, saying he wants a bit more data - and to get through a major runway overhaul that's reduced flight numbers - to "proclaim that quite loudly." "Once we've got through summer 2014 we'll have a look at the numbers and see if we can accurately claim that title, hopefully forever," he said. The airport Griffiths oversees, with its mall-like duty free halls, tranquil Zen gardens and luxury car raffles, still has room to grow before it can boast being the world's busiest airport when all flights - foreign and domestic - are taken into account. Griffiths thinks it's just a matter of time - likely before the decade is out. His airport ended last year at No. 7, with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the top spot. But it's growing much faster than the competition. Dubai is the only airport in the top 10 posting double- digit percentage point gains. Griffiths joined Dubai Airports in 2007 after a stint as managing director at London's Gatwick, Britain's second-biggest airport. He is a self-described "petrol-head" with a love for anything that moves and an avid organist - a passion that helps inform his job and its many moving parts. "Running a multi-faceted organization like an airport ... is very much like being part of an orchestra or playing the organ," he said. "You've got a lot of different strands that are moving independently of each other that you have to bring them in line so that they make perfect harmony together." Below his office, not far from where arriving passengers wait to get their passports stamped, construction workers are noisily working to expand Dubai International once again. A new concourse that will be connected to an existing terminal by automated train is due to open in the first three months of next year. It promises an eclectic mix of local and international restaurants ranging from Krispy Kreme up to an eatery boasting dishes by Wolfgang Puck. It is part of a broader $7.8 billion expansion effort meant to boost the airport's capacity to 90 million passengers annually by 2018. Atlanta handled 94.4 million last year. Construction crews also are racing through the steamy summer months to complete the runway project, which involves resurfacing one strip while adding taxiways, exits and improved lighting to the other. That project, due to finish later in July, forced Griffiths' team to cut just over a quarter of flights during the 80- day project. Many of them shifted operations to Dubai's newest airport, Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central, which promises to be far bigger than Dubai International with an eventual capacity of 160 million passengers. It opened for cargo flights in 2010 and received its first passengers in October. Emirates' breakneck growth is the engine driving Dubai International's expansion, Griffiths said. The carrier is the Mideast's biggest airline and the world's largest user of both the Boeing 777 and the double- decker Airbus A380 long-range jets. Much more work still needs to be done on the new airport before Emirates can move all its operations there sometime next decade. To keep up with the increased traffic at Dubai International, officials are searching for places to park additional aircraft, working on improving passenger flow through the airport and looking for ways to manage the airspace more efficiently. Griffiths said his main obsession for now is making sure that the gap between running out of space at the old airport - he expects it will see 103 million passengers by 2020 - and building up enough of the new one is as small as possible. "It is a very significant undertaking to be operating the world's largest international airport whilst you're building from scratch what will then become the world's largest international airport within the same city," he said. "That's the sort of opportunity that comes less than once in a lifetime." Emirates Airlines planes wait for passengers at the new Concourse A of Dubai International Airport on Feb. 10, 2013. Dubai's airport authorities say the concourse, built for Airbus' A380 aircraft, is fully open after weeks of phased-in operations. http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayinthesky/2014/07/15/will-dubai-pass-atlanta-as-worlds-busiest- airport/12664447/ Back to Top Back to Top Alaska Air Group Places Order for Q400 NextGen Aircraft; Confirms Five-Year Heavy Maintenance Agreement for Fleet - Horizon Air cements its standing as largest operator of Q400 turboprops worldwide with 52 aircraft - Brings firm orders of Q400 aircraft sold to 499 - Bombardier performing heavy maintenance for Horizon's fleet at its Tucson, Arizona facility TORONTO, ONTARIO, Jul 15, 2014 (Marketwired via COMTEX) -- Farnborough Airshow - Bombardier Aerospace announced today that Seattle-based Horizon Air Industries, Inc. has signed a firm purchase agreement for one Bombardier Q400 NextGen turboprop airliner. The airline retains its options on another seven Q400 NextGen aircraft as announced previously. Additionally, Bombardier and Horizon Air confirmed they have signed a five-year heavy maintenance agreement whereby Bombardier will perform heavy maintenance tasks for the airline's fleet of 52 Q400 aircraft at Bombardier's service centre in Tucson, Arizona. Based on the list price of the Q400 NextGen aircraft, the aircraft agreement is valued at approximately $32.6 million US. "The Q400 aircraft has long been the backbone of our network success, and today we are pleased to confirm we are taking another Q400 NextGen aircraft as we look to increase our network capacity with aircraft that provide comfort and speed," said Glenn Johnson, Horizon Air President. "As the largest operator of the Q400 aircraft, Horizon will be well served by having Bombardier's expertise as our aircraft maintenance provider." "We're thrilled that Horizon Air, a well-regarded regional airline and our long-term customer of almost 30 years, continues to look to Bombardier for its regional aircraft solutions," said Mike Arcamone, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. "Our Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft remain North America's preferred turboprop because they provide an unmatched combination of fuel efficiency, flexibility and performance." Established in 1981, Horizon Air was acquired in 1986 by Alaska Air Group, Inc., the parent company of Alaska Airlines. At its start, the airline operated two aircraft and served three destinations in Washington State. Today, Horizon flies 51 76-seat Q400 aircraft on behalf of Alaska Airlines and serves 43 cities in the western United States, Canada and Mexico. About Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft With the introduction of the Q400 NextGen aircraft, Bombardier invented the modern turboprop. Optimized for short-haul operations and seating up to 86 passengers, the aircraft is a large, fast, quiet and fuel- efficient turboprop that provides the perfect balance of passenger comfort, performance and operational flexibility with the lowest seat-mile costs in the short-haul regional market. With its jet-like speed, the Q400 NextGen aircraft can be profitably deployed in medium-haul jet markets. Now available in optional dual class, extra capacity and passenger-cargo combi configurations, the Q400 NextGen aircraft's versatility positions it to once again reshape the turboprop market through profitable growth. Including Horizon Air's order, Bombardier has recorded firm orders for a total of 499 Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft. Worldwide, Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft have transported more than 295 million passengers and have logged over 4.7 million flight hours and more than 5 million take-offs and landings. The Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft program includes over 50 customers and operators in approximately 40 countries on five continents. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/alaska-air-group-places-order-for-q400-nextgen-aircraft-confirms- five-year-heavy-maintenance-agreement-for-fleet-2014-07-15-61734530 Back to Top Moses Lake to be test site for Mitsubishi Aircraft regional jet Japan's Mitsubishi Aircraft will create a flight-test center at Moses Lake for its new Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), bringing dozens of pilots, engineers and technicians to the Central Washington town, the company will announce Monday at the Farnborough Air Show. Mitsubishi, which is completing Japan's first new commercial passenger aircraft in more than 40 years, was attracted by the long, uncrowded runways at Grant County International Airport and the new-plane expertise available in Washington. In all, about 100 people in Moses Lake will work on the flight-testing project, Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation president Teruaki Kawai said in an interview. The MRJ, smaller than any of Boeing's jets, will come initially in 92-seat and 78-seat variants. Launched seven years ago, it has experienced considerable program delays and is scheduled to enter service in 2017. Gov. Jay Inslee, sporting a gold MRJ pin in his lapel, said in an interview on the sidelines of Washington state's pre-Farnborough reception Sunday that the project "sets up an infrastructure for airplane certification and testing that may lead to bigger and better things. The infrastructure could be available to other companies over time." Some 50 to 60 Japanese engineers and technicians will be based in Moses Lake for at least a year, Kawai said. A smaller number will stay for three or more years as follow-on variants of the MRJ are tested, Seattle-based AeroTEC, a small engineering company that provides flight-testing and aircraft certification services, will provide technical support for Mitsubishi, according to a letter of intent signed by the Japanese company. AeroTEC president Lee Human said his company will hire about 20 engineers and technicians for its part in the flight tests. It will also build a new 65,000-square-foot hangar at the airfield in Moses Lake, Human said. Initially that will house three flight-test MRJs, but he said it will be sized for potential future work "to accommodate every Boeing airplane, including the upcoming 777-9X." Kawai said initial flights of the airplane will begin next spring in Japan. Then, in fall 2015, the majority of the testing will shift to Moses Lake. Three test aircraft will be based there, two in Japan. Kawai said his company chose to come to the U.S. because the air space in Japan is congested and there are few long runways available for testing purposes. Grant County International Airport, an Air Force base until 1966, will offer ideal flight-test conditions: runways up to 13,500 feet long, the newly built hangar, little competing air traffic and clear weather. The expertise offered by AeroTEC is also part of the draw. "The reason we had delays for this program is that we didn't have any experience in how to get certification," said Kawai. In Washington state, "there are a lot of experienced people." The MRJ flight-test program will renew a longstanding cultural link between Moses Lake and Japan. For 40 years until 2008, Japan Airlines (JAL) used the airfield as a base to train pilots to fly its 747-400s, the last of which JAL retired in 2011. Over the decades, more than 10,000 JAL crew members were based there for short periods of training. Boeing also conducts frequent flight tests of its much bigger jets out of Moses Lake. Once largely rural, Moses Lake is growing rapidly as a center of heavy industry and high-tech manufacturing. German firms SGL and BMW have just announced an expansion of their carbon-fiber plant there that by next year will make it the largest in the world, employing about 200 people. The town is also home to REC Silicon, which makes silicon for solar panels and employs about 500 people. The largest employer is Genie Industries, which makes aerial work platforms and employs 1,350 people. Patrick Jones, executive director of the Port of Moses Lake, said having Mitsubishi join ATS, the aircraft- modification company, at the Grant County International Airport "is going to be another jump forward in our ability to support large-scale aviation services." Jones said the hangar construction is mostly funded by private money from AeroTEC. Inslee said the state also provided "some strategic reserve funds" for infrastructure to help make the Mitsubishi project come together. "Relatively small investments by the state, but they are really going to pay off," he said. The state's pre-air show reception Sunday afternoon was at the Shangri-La hotel in the Shard, a modernist skyscraper in central London. The venue on the 34th floor offered stunning views of the river Thames, Tower Bridge and a wide vista of central London. It was more impressive by far than the locations of state receptions at previous air shows. The Washington Aerospace Partnership, a collaboration of state business, labor and government leaders co-sponsored the reception with HSBC, a British bank involved in trade between the U.K. and the state. Alex Pietsch, director of the governor's aerospace office, said the aerospace partnership "felt that the 777X was a tremendous win for the state, and to celebrate that and to celebrate the Washington aerospace industry here in London on the eve of the air show, that this was a fitting venue." Inslee's trip was funded by the fees paid by the 40-strong delegation. "I'm not here on the public dime," the governor said. At this week's show, Inslee will meet with a selection of top aerospace executives, including Boeing CEO Jim McNerney and Airbus Americas Chairman Allan McArtor. He'll also meet with Fred Hochberg, chairman of the U.S. Export-Import Bank, and will be one of 31 governors signing a letter asking Congress to reauthorize the bank. http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2024064957_airshownewsmondayxml.html Back to Top The International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) comprises a series of international standards and best practices designed to help Business Aviation Operators worldwide achieve high levels of safety, professionalism and effectiveness. NEXUS Flight Operations Services is pleased to host the IBAC/IS-BAO Fundamentals and/or IS-BAO Auditor Workshops to be held 4th - 5th August 2014 in our Jeddah Headquarters The program consists of: Fully integrated Safety Management System, Organizational essentials Training program/tracking system, Regulations/requirements tracking system, Standard Operating Procedures, Maintenance Control system, Operations and Maintenance Manuals, International operations procedures and equipment requirements checklist, Administrative organization, Emergency response plan. At the core of IS-BAO is a comprehensive Safety Management System (SMS) designed to integrate all activities of a flight department or charter organization so they are operated in the most risk-averse manner possible. To register, please click on the links below for online registration and payment directly with IBAC. 4th August 2014 | Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Fundamentals of IS-BAO Workshop There is a $500 per person registration fee for this full day course 5th August 2014 | Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia IS-BAO Auditing Workshop for Internal Auditors and Support Services Affiliates There is a $750 per person registration fee for this full day course (this includes the IS-BAO Audit Procedures Manual) This course does not provide auditor accreditation. If you wish to become an accredited IS-BAO auditor click here for prerequisite details and registration fees For more information please see www.ibac.org/is_bao Back to Top THE ALPA 60TH AIR SAFETY FORUM A Celebration of Pilots Helping Get the Job Done Safely & Securely August 4-7, 2014 | Washington Hilton | Washington, DC SPONSORSHIP & EXHIBITING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE Contact Tina Long at tina.long@alpa.org for more information or click here to download the sponsorship brochure. AGENDA AT A GLANCE Visit http://safetyforum.alpa.org for full agendas MONDAY - AUGUST 4, 2014 8:30-9:00 General Session-ALPA Air Safety Organization Update (Open to all ALPA Members Only) 9:30-6:00 ALPA ASO Group Workshops & Council Meetings - (invitation only) 9:30-4:30 Jumpseat Forum (invitation only) 12:00-5:00 Aviation Security Forum (invitation only) TUESDAY - AUGUST 5, 2014 8:00-6:00 ALPA ASO Group Workshops & Council Meetings - (invitation only) 9:00-5:00 Joint Aviation/Security Forum - (invitation only) WEDNESDAY - AUGUST 6, 2014 - 60TH AIR SAFETY FORUM 8:30-9:00 Opening Ceremony 9:00-10:30 Panel: Surviving a Main Deck Lithium Battery Fire: New Technological Solutions 10:30-11:00 Break with the Exhibitors 11:00-12:30 Panel: Smoke In the Cockpit-Where Seconds Matter 12:30-1:45 Keynote Luncheon-100 Years of Commercial Aviation Mr. Paul Rinaldi - President, National Air Traffic Controllers Association 1:45-3:15 Panel: Finding the Runway with a Smoke-Filled Cockpit-Using All the Tools 3:15-3:45 Break With the Exhibitors 3:45-5:15 Panel: Landing A Distressed Airliner-What's Waiting at the Airport? 5:15-5:25 Presentation of the ALPA Airport Safety Liaison and ALPA Airport Awards 5:25-5:30 Closing Remarks 5:30-6:30 Hospitality Reception (Sponsored by Boeing) THURSDAY - AUGUST 7, 2014 - 60TH AIR SAFETY FORUM 8:30- 10:00 Panel - Current Security Threats and Countermeasures 10:00-10:30 Break with the Exhibitors 10:30-11:30 Panel: A Discussion With Key Regulators 11:30-11:40 Presentation of the ALPA Presidential Citation Awards 11:40-1:00 Lunch (on your own) 1:00-2:30 Panel: Pilot Health & Occupational Safety 2:30-3:00 Break with the Exhibitors 3:00-4:30 Panel: Modernizing Our National Airspace System: The Flight Path, The Potholes and the Promise 4:30-5:00 Closing Ceremony 6:00-7:00 Awards Reception (Sponsored by Airbus) 7:00-10:00 Awards Dinner 10:00-11:00 Post Awards Reception Back to Top Upcoming Events: International System Safety Society Annual Symposium 04-08AUG2014 - St. Louis, MO http://issc2014.system-safety.org ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition Atlanta, GA September 7 - 10, 2014 http://annual.aci-na.org/ IFA - Maintaining Airworthiness Standards and Investing in the Most Important Asset 'The Human Element' 17 - 18 September, 2014 Emirates Eng Facility, Dubai www.ifairworthy.com Public Safety and Security Fall Conference Arlington, VA October 6 - 9, 2014 http://aci-na.org/event/4309 IASS 2014 Abu Dhabi, UAE November 11-13, 2014 http://flightsafety.org/meeting/iass-2014 Back to Top Employment: Position Available - Safety Investigator Etihad Airways www.etihad.com/careers NTSB Position Available - Electronics Engineer https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/374545600 Position Available: Assistant Chief Flight Instructor LeTourneau University www.letu.edu/jobs Curt Lewis